Paddles, particularly kayak paddles, are available in different lengths, blade configurations and angle of the blades given that there are differences in the user's size, skill and preferences as well as water conditions. It is particularly advantageous to have a paddle that is easily adjustable in relative blade angle.
Canadian Patent 2,280,701 discloses a paddle that is adjustable in length using similar technology as found in a conventional pool skimmer, namely a simple compression collar design. In this design, a slit collar is in a fixed position on a first shaft end and the second shaft is slidably engaged within the first. The slit collar also has male threads and a sliding compression collar (movable, with female threads) that can be rotatably engaged onto the fixed collar. When engaged, the outer collar squeezes the inner collar and collapses onto the inner sliding shaft fixing it into position (length and angle).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,216 discloses a double bladed paddle with an adjustable joint of three concentric shafts fixed together by a compression lock for “infinitely adjusting the angle at which the blades may be set relative to each other”.
Neither of these designs provide for finding the exact blade angle adjustment but rather offer an ‘infinite’ scale of adjustments.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/846,713 (publication number 2012/0028519) discloses another paddle with a connecting joint joining shafts which have blades at their ends. The connecting joint provides for adjusting the angle of the blades but includes an optional retaining clip so that selection of the blade angle can occur without disassembly of the shafts of the paddle. Another design for adjusting and holding the blade angle uses a locking cam collar which is problematic since it is difficult to repeat an adjustment precisely and the lever is susceptible to catching on the users clothing particularly bulkier clothing used in colder weather.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,881,111 discloses a paddle with an adjustable blade angle using a push button through a hole which is pushed down to release the setting. Adjusting blade angles using a simple spring dome button that locks the two shafts together generally only provides a couple fixed angles since a hole is needed for each discrete angle. This does not provide an adequate range of adjustments and is very susceptible to failure in use (particularly fractures around the hole where the button pops into).
Other paddles with adjustable blade angles require a tool, such as an Allen key (hex key) to make adjustments with the obvious disadvantage of needing to have the tool and the risk of losing the tool, particularly into the water.
It would be helpful to have a paddle that is easily adjusted in the angle of the blades with discrete blade angle selections to enable the user to pick the desired angle without trial and error, and additionally with minimal components to adjust. The present invention provides for a very strong boat paddle with numerous locking positions for various blade angles which is not susceptible to corrosion, has no push buttons or tools, is easy to use and adjustable by a user who is already paddling in the water, and additionally can be separated into two parts for each of transport and storage.